John zapp



(N0 Model.)

'J. ZAPP. ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIRS, 4 sons, &c. No. 4445719.

Patented Jan, 13, 18-91.

UNITED STATES PATENT Q FICE.

JOHN 'ZAPP, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIRS, some, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,719, dated January 13, 1891.

Application filed October 26, 1889. Serial No. 328,800. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ZAPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, haveinventedcertain newand usefullmprovements in Attachments for Chairs, Sofas, 850.; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in sofas, lounges, or reclining or adjustable chairs.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved reclining lounge, sofa, or the like having an adjustable back or head-rest at one orboth ends; to provideimproved, simple, and easily-controlled means to operate or adjust said backs or rests, and to connect the stand ards of the backs or rests with the frame of the sofa or lounge, so that the sofa and arms and backs can be fully stuffed and upholstered and yet can be adjusted back and forth without wearing, tearing, or cutting the packing or cloth.

These objects are accomplished by and my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a sofa or lounge frame before it is upholstered, dotted lines showing different positions of the rests at the ends of the sofa. Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional side elevation of the adjusting devices for the rests at the on d of the sofa. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the manner of mounting and pivoting the upright of the swinging backs. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed side and edge elevations of the swinging arms or links carrying the uprights of the rests. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail perspective, showing one connecting-link and adjoiningparts and a portion of the upholstering.

In the drawings, the reference-letter a indicates the frame of the sofa, and Z) the supporting-legs thereof. In the present instance both ends of the frame are provided with the upright piecesc, rigidly secured thereto, and to which the swinging rests A B are pivoted. The swinging back A consists of vertical end pieces or uprights cl cl, "connected by crossrods 6 and by the lower cross-piece c. The lower ends of these uprights are located a dis tance from the upper edges of the pieces 0 or the frame itself to admit the packingand upholstering between said edges and to allow the uprights to swing. The back is pivoted and supported by the arms or links f, rigidly secured to the sides of the upright end pieces of the back and extending downwardly, and at their lower ends pivoted to the frame or piece a by means of the lateral journals g to. allow the back to swing up or down. Each link or arm f at that portion of its length located opposite the joint or space between the back uprights and the frame is bent outwardly, as

shown at g, out of the plane of the longitudinal axes of the links passing through the pivot,

said outward bend extending in the directioin u of down ward movement, so as to form a recess in the front edge of .the linkf Hence when the back or the rest is swung up the re cess will allow the links to swing up straight without the edges of the links engaging with the upholstering. The parts can thus becompactly upholstered and stuffed without danger of cutting or tearing. These links are arranged in the inner sides of the arms or posts.

In covering i'ecliniiiglounges, &c., the upholstering material shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3 is doubled in the space between the end pieces and posts d 0, so as to extend to the plane indicating the longitudinal axes of the two links g. (Shown by dotted lines.) Hence it will be readily seen that when straight links are employed the front edge thereof engages and cuts the joining portions of the upholstering; but by my invent-ion this is avoided. The back is held at the desired inclination by means of an arm h, at its upper end rigidly secured to the cross-bar e at or near the center thereof, and at its lower end provided with a toothed or notched segment '6, pivoted to a support 0', extending up from the center of the end of the main frame, so that the segment will swing with the back. The segment is provided with a curved slot j, and a rigid pin j", attached to support 0' extended therethrough to limit the swing of the back. A latch K for said segment is pivoted to a supporting-plate Z, secured to the end of the frame with its upper end engaging a tooth of the segment to hold the same, and the latch is yieldingly held engaged with the same by a spring m. The lower end of the latch is extended outwardly and provided with a foot rest or piece 17., so that when it is desired to change the inclination of the back the operator has merely to press down on said foot rest, which will disengage the latch from the teeth in the segment and allow the back to swing, and when adjusted the latch will spring back into place and lock the back. This can also be done by fastening to the extended arm K of the latch an eye and operate the same by cord and tassel, as is well known and often used in reclining-chairs. As shown in Fig. 2 by dotted lines, the number of notches in the segment and the length of the stop-slot therein can be increased accordingly to the degree of inclination required.

The construction so far described can be used at either orlooth ends of the sofa, lounge, &c., and of course the backs or rests are usually stuffed and inclosed with the segment, cross-pieces, &c., hidden.

The back or restA is provided with adjustable moving arms, each consisting of one, two, or more horizontal bars 71, hinged at their outer ends to the edge of the back upright and at their opposite ends hinged to swinging standard 0, and also hinged by means of a bent cycle-shaped link or arm f to rigid post p in a mannersimilar to the end pieces of the backs. These arms are stuffed and upholstered. hen the backs are swung up or down, the arms will be correspondingly swung and adjusted back and forth and up and down with the back, thereby greatly increasing the comfort of the sofa. The back B merely consists of a low foot or head rest without arm rests, and is shown capable of being adjusted to a horizontal position, and when the sofa is upholstered the top portion of the arm B would be level with the seat of same when so adjusted.

What I claim is 1. In a sofa or the like, the combination, with the frame having an upwardly-extended standard atone end, the swing-back having a cross-bar, a metal arm at its upper end rigidly secured. to said cross-bar at or near its center to swing with the back, at its lower portion pivoted to said standard and having a segmental transverse slot, a pin secured to said standard and extending through said slot, one edge of the lower portion of said arm forming a-- toothed segment, an angle-catch pivoted in a plate secured to the frame, and a spring to hold one end of said catch in engagement with said teeth, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a sofa or the like, the combination of the frame having two standards or raised portions, a swinging rest composed of two end posts and cross-bars, and a metal connectinglink at its upper end rigidly secured to the inner side of each end post and at its lower end pivoted to the inner side of one of said standards, so as to leave room for upholstering between the end posts and standards, said metal links having recesses in their inner edges opposite said spaces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ZAPP.

Witnesses:

J. B. MoGIN, W. KUFFNER. 

